On 1 November 2017 experts from the motorcycle industry, the European Commission, the U.S. Department of Transportation and other organisations met at the ITS World Congress in Montreal, Canada, to discuss the future of intelligent transport systems and motorcycling. The discussions took place during the ‘Motorcycle talk ITS’ roundtable moderated by the Secretary General of the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM), Antonio Perlot. The participants examined some of the most important initiatives in the field of connected vehicles as well as as the challenges and opportunities offered by cooperative ITS.

Commenting on the future of technology, Hennes Fischer, senior advisor to Yamaha Motor Europe and member of the Connected Motorcycle Consortium, said: “Vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems will have a considerable effect on motorcycle safety. Technologies such as ‘motorcycle approach indication and warning’ will enhance the digital conspicuity of motorcyclists and reduce the probability of accidents, such as those that happen at intersections because of car drivers overlooking motorcyclists”.

Mr Fischer also explained that “Our industry is working together with other stakeholders in a large-scale European project to set the basis for an embedded eCall system for motorcycles that can operate across the European Union. This project will be completed by the end of the year and will pave the way for a future standard for eCall devices for motorcycles”. Under the European eCall Regulation, the European Commission must present a report in 2021 assessing whether the scope of this regulation should be extended to other categories of vehicles such as motorcycles and mopeds.

Matthias Mörbe, Vice-president for two-wheeler engineering solutions at Bosch, discussed whether motorcycles can be fitted with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) developed for cars. In this respect, he said that “powered-two wheelers require a dedicated approach and specific engineering solutions. Intelligent transport system applications designed specifically for cars cannot be directly transferred to motorcycles”.

John Lenkeit, Technical Director at Dynamic Research, an American company specialised in vehicle dynamics and accidentology, stressed that “ADAS for cars should be able to detect all vulnerable road users including motorcycle riders”. As a recent study released by Dynamic Research points out: “If ADAS systems are unable to correctly identify motorcycles, a possible consequence of broad ADAS implementation may be an increase in car-motorcycle accidents even as car accidents decrease”.

Stephanie Leonard, Policy officer responsible for intelligent transport systems at the European Commission said: “As we expressed in our recent GEAR2030 report, the European Commission sees connectivity and increased automation of transport as major trends that are shaping the future of European mobility. We believe that the automotive industry as a whole must embrace the upcoming revolution of digital, automated and connected driving”.

For his part, Robert Kreeb, Chief of the intelligent technologies research division at the U.S. Department of Transportation, said that: “Connectivity and increased automation hold the promise of addressing many of the major challenges facing today’s transport system, such as user safety, energy efficiency, air quality, traffic congestion, and to enhance the drivers’ comfort and convenience. In the long run, automation could have a revolutionary impact on travel behaviour, social inclusion and urban development, environment, entertainment and commerce, growth and jobs.”

Huei-Ru Tseng, Deputy Technical Manager of the Taiwan Industrial Technology Research Institute, said: “C-ITS technologies will give motorcyclists as digital presence, increasing their safety”. He added that ITS systems “must be specifically designed for motorcycle riders”.

In his concluding remarks, the Secretary General of the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers, Antonio Perlot said: “There is no doubt that connected vehicles will play a major role in increasing transport efficiency, sustainability and mobility in Europe. Cars and motorcycles must be part of this new connected world”.

Panelists of the event

• Stephanie Leonard. Policy officer for intelligent transport systems. Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport of the European Commission.
• Bob Kreeb. Chief, Intelligent Technologies Research Division, U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
• Huei-Ru Tseng. Deputy Technical Manager, Taiwan Industrial Technology Research Institute.
• Hennes Fischer. Senior Advisor to Yamaha Motor Europe / Japan. Member of the Connected Motorcycle Consortium.
• John Lenkeit. Technical Director at Dynamic Reserach Inc.
• Matthias Mörbe. Vice-president for two-wheeler and power sport engineering solutions at Robert Bosch GmbH.

About ACEM

• The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) represents manufacturers of mopeds, motorcycles, three-wheelers and quadricycles (L-category vehicles) in Europe. About 156,000 jobs depend on the L-category industry in Europe. There are about 35.3 million motorcycles and mopeds on Europe’s roads.

• ACEM members include 18 manufacturing companies: BMW Motorrad, Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), Ducati Motor holding, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, KYMCO, MV Agusta, Peugeot Scooters, Piaggio, Polaris Industries, Renault, Royal Enfield, Suzuki, Triumph Motorcycles and Yamaha. ACEM also represents 17 motorcycle industry associations in 14 different European countries.

About the CMC

• The CMC is an R&D platform to foster cooperation in research and development in the field of C-ITS. It is open to a wide range of organisations including motorcycle OEM, automotive companies, automotive part suppliers and research institutions. The key objective of the CMC is to promote timely and comprehensive use of C-ITS systems offering the potential to improve safety for motorcyclists.

• The CMC was created in 2016 by BMW Motorrad, Honda and Yamaha. Since then, more members have joined the consortium: Kawasaki, KTM and Suzuki (development members) as well as ACEM, the Technical University of Dresden, the Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt, VUFO GmbH and the Würzburg Institute for Traffic Sciences (associate members). For more information about the CMC please visit www.cmc-info.net

Press contact

Manuel Ordonez de Barraicua. ACEM Communications Officer
  
+32 (0) 496 52 65 17

A delegation representing 119 European industrial associations, including the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers presented today the document “For an ambitious EU industrial strategy. Going further” to the Estonian Presidency of the Council of the EU, the body that represents Member States at EU level. The report, drafted by a coalition of industrial sectors representing close to 34 million jobs in the EU, calls on the European Commission to prepare a genuine European industrial strategy, in close cooperation with industry organisations.

Commenting on this initiative ACEM Secretary General Antonio Perlot said:

“We thank the Estonian Presidency of the Council for this invitation and for examining our proposals. Manufacturing companies are the backbone of Europe’s economy. Good cooperation between the European industry and the EU institutions will be essential to continue promoting investments and job creation in Europe”.

“Also in line with the recent GEAR 2030 report, we look forward to the European Commission putting forward more concrete proposals to support Europe’s manufacturing capabilities. In particular, motorcycle companies need a predictable and balanced regulatory framework to operate efficiently, as well as fair and stable trade relations between the EU and key markets such as China, India, South East Asian countries and the US”.

Note for editors

• On 17 February 2017 a coalition of more than one hundred industry associations adopted a joint declaration calling on the European Commission to support an ambitious EU industrial strategy.
• On 13 September 2017 the European Commission published a Communication entitled “Investing in a smart, innovative and sustainable Industry: A renewed EU Industrial Policy Strategy”. The Communication announced the creation of a High Level Industrial Roundtable with representatives of industry, civil society and public administrations in 2018.
• However, the European Commission’s Communication did not contain any specific measures to support manufacturing companies in Europe, but rather a list of proposals recently adopted or close to adoption.

About ACEM

• The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) represents manufacturers of mopeds, motorcycles, three-wheelers and quadricycles (technically known as L-category vehicles) in Europe. About 156,000 jobs depend on the motorcycle, moped, tricycle and quadricycle industry in Europe.
• ACEM members include 18 manufacturing companies: BMW Motorrad, Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), Ducati Motor holding, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, KYMCO, MV Agusta, Peugeot Scooters, Piaggio, Polaris Industries, Renault, Royal Enfield, Suzuki, Triumph Motorcycles and Yamaha.
• ACEM also represents 17 industry associations in 14 different European countries. 

Press contact

Manuel Ordonez de Barraicua. ACEM Communications Officer

+32 (0) 22 30 97 32

Prof. Dr. Karl Viktor Schaller, Head of development of BMW Motorrad, was appointed President of the Connected Motorcycle Consortium, CMC, during its annual conference on 12 October 2017 in Munich, Germany.

Mr Schaller will continue the work started by Mr Tetsuo Suzuki, Operating Officer of Honda Motor Co., who led the consortium since its creation in October 2015. Commenting on the importance of the CMC, Mr Schaller said: “Our aim is to promote the comprehensive use of cooperative safety systems for motorcycles at an early stage in order to exploit their potential for increasing safety as well as riding pleasure. This is why we are inviting other companies to join in”.

ACEM Secretary General Antonio Perlot said: “Connected vehicle technology will shape the future of mobility in Europe. The CMC – which builds on ACEM’s memorandum of understanding on ITS – will be essential to successfully deploy advanced ITS solutions. These technologies will have profound effects not only in terms of road safety but also in terms of transport sustainability, efficiency and management”.

The CMC will focus on joint motor show appearances as well as events in 2018 in order to showcase the latest safety system developments for two-wheeled vehicles. A foretaste of what is to come was given at the CMC Conference 2017 by the BMW R 1200 RS ConnectedRide prototype and two prototypes based on a Honda CRF 1000 L Africa Twin and a Yamaha Tracer 900 using a common architecture.

The next important date in the CMC calendar is the ITS World Congress from 29 October to 2 November 2017 in Montréal, Canada. This will be the world’s biggest event focusing on intelligent transport systems and services. At the round-table-talk on 1 November, the CMC will conduct an in-depth discussion on the topics of connected networking and V2V communication with experts from the US, Europe and Taiwan.

About the Connected Motorcycle Consortium

The CMC is an R&D platform to foster cooperation in research and development in the field of C-ITS. It is open to a wide range of organisations including motorcycle OEM, automotive companies, automotive part suppliers and research institutions. The key objective of the CMC is to promote timely and comprehensive use of C-ITS systems offering the potential to improve safety for motorcyclists.

The CMC was created in 2016 by BMW Motorrad, Honda and Yamaha. Since then, more members have joined the consortium: Kawasaki, KTM and Suzuki (development members) as well as ACEM, the Technical University of Dresden, the Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt, VUFO GmbH and the Würzburg Institute for Traffic Sciences (associate members).

For more information about the CMC please visit www.cmc-info.net 

Press photos (use free of rights)

Photo 1 - Dr Viktor Schaller (BMW Motorrad) and Mr Tetsuo Suzuki (Honda Motor's Operating Officer) - JPG 

Photo 2 - CMC photo family - JPG

ACEM Secretary General Antonio Perlot participated in the International Motorcycle Federation’s annual debate “Motorcycles and scooters: a new boost for electric mobility?”, which took place on 28 September 2017 at the Stanhope Hotel in Brussels.

Panelists included representatives from the STORM Eindhoven Project, Scooty (e-scooter sharing platform), the European Commission, Transport & Environment and FIM, and discussed the challenges and opportunities tied to the deployment of electric motorcycles and scooters in Europe.

Mr Perlot said: “Motorcycles and mopeds fitted with internal combustion engines have high fuel efficiency levels and are already making a valuable contribution to the sustainability of Europe’s transport systems”.

“At the same time, motorcycle manufacturers are also bringing to market new electric models which can take full advantage of the features of mobility in urban areas: trips in high-traffic density zones, short travelling distances, and limited availability of parking spaces”.

Mr Perlot emphasized that “motorcycles ad scooters must always be eligible to the financial and tax incentives developed for other electric means of transport. We also need further support for charging infrastructure in European cities”.

Background

• Total registrations of electric mopeds, motorcycles and quadricycles between January 2017 and June 2017 in the EU reached 13,089 units. This represents an increase of 30.5% compared the same period of 2016, when 10,576 units were registered.
• During the first six months of 2017, 10,204 electric mopeds, 1,995 electric motorcycles and 1,610 quadricycles were registered in the EU.
• The countries with the highest number of motorcycles registered were: France (615), Spain (444) and Germany (325) and Austria (146). The largest registrations of mopeds were recorded in France (3,116), the Netherlands (2,516), Belgium (2,013) and Spain (774).
• For more market data about electric vehicles please visit: http://www.acem.eu/market-data 
• For more info about FIA’s event please visit: http://www.fim-live.com/en/article/fim-policy-debate-in-brussels

Press contact

Manuel Ordonez de Barraicua. ACEM Communications Officer
+32 (0) 22 30 97 32.